7 compete in TOYchallenge

(Wilbraham) - Wilbraham & Monson Academy students Christian Grenier of East Longmeadow, Adrianne Hanson of Wilbraham and Victoria Mordasky of Stafford Springs, Conn., known collectively as the TOYriffic Titans, and Emma Camilleri of Wilbraham, Larysa Fradet of Amherst, Michaela Rollings of Longmeadow and Stephanie Robbins, also of Wilbraham, known collectively as Toys with Poise, traveled to the Sigma Xi Center in Research Triangle Park, N.C., to participate in the TOYchallenge East Coast National Showcase.

The group, led by their mathematics teacher, Lorraine Males, was among 55 teams of students from across the country that participated in the fun-fueled toy-and game-design competition created by Sally Ride Science, Smith College and Hasbro Inc.

Michaela and Stephanie earned raffle prizes, including a book signed by astronaut Sally Ride and a make-it-yourself Rocket kit. The TOYriffic Titans, with their game, Super Spiral Challenge, wowed the judges with their oversized electronic die and earned an honorable mention in their category of Get Out and Play.

TOYchallenge (www.TOYchallenge.com) was developed by Sally Ride Science and Smith College's Picker Engineering Program as an outreach activity to engage middle school-age students, especially girls, in science and engineering and to inspire them to pursue careers in those fields.